Local pros discuss AC unit efficiency ratings
There are many variables to consider when choosing the right air conditioning system for your home, and while many people focus on the initial cost of the unit itself, there is a key metric which will help you determine the long-term cost of cooling your home.
If you have shopped for AC units at all recently, you have probably seen the acronym SEER a lot. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and it’s a direct measurement of how effective an air conditioner unit is at cooling a home.
Our company specializes in HVAC services for people and businesses in the Bay Area. We’re based in Antioch and proud to serve the communities of Pittsburg, Concord, Walnut Creek and the entire surrounding areas. Our team is licensed, experienced and customer-focused, and we’re here to help make your home as comfortable as possible.
If you’re in the market for a new air conditioner system, this article is for you. Today, we’ll cover SEER ratings and what they mean for your new air conditioner purchase, and hopefully help you make an informed decision when buying a new unit. Read on for more information on efficiency, and as always if you have specific questions don’t hesitate to call us.
To put it simply, the higher an AC unit’s SEER rating, the better it will perform. A unit with a high SEER rating will cool your home faster, using less energy and putting less strain on the system than a unit with a lower rating.
SEER ratings are not hard to find when shopping for AC units, but if you have an existing unit the rating can usually be found on the outside of the unit itself.
In recent years, technology has advanced a great deal due to the goal of minimizing the impact machinery has on the environment and the pursuit of units which perform at a higher level. For this reason, SEER ratings are on the rise, which means you can purchase an AC unit which will keep your monthly costs down (if you don’t mind paying more up front).
This also means if you have an older unit then it could be struggling to keep up, and your energy bills are likely higher than they could be. Today’s lowest end AC units come in around 10 on the SEER rating scale, with top end models scoring at 20 or better. Just ten years ago, that scale would have topped out around 16 – 18, so improvements are happening rapidly in this space.
Understanding SEER rating can help you perform the cost/benefit analysis of purchasing a new unit. The benefit to a higher rated SEER unit is a lower monthly power bill, and vice versa. With this knowledge in mind, you can use your budget to select the unit which works best for your needs.
Our technicians understand there is no “one size fits all” option for AC units, and if you need assistance selecting the right one for your home size, location and budgetary needs then we can give you an informed and unbiased opinion. If you have more questions about SEER or if we can help with any HVAC issue, give us a call today.
